Beverage brewing apparatus



May 19, 1959 Filed Jan. 4, 1956 H. M. VOGLESONGER ET AL 7 Sheets-Sheet 1,es-a

I' fi 1 23 "3 ja M INVENIOR.

Harm/M Voarsomsm By NoR'ro/v DI May 19, 1959 H. M. VoGLEsoNGER 'E1-AL2,887,036

v BEVERAGE BREWING APPARATUS Filed Jar'x. 4, 1956 l 7 sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. HHRHY M Vos/ ESoA/Gfm By HowTo/v Duna/vn.

May 19, 1959 Filed Jan. 4, 1956 H. M. voGLEsoNGl-:R ETAL BEVERAGEBREWING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOIL *Y HHRRVM. Vos/ EsoA/GER. nBy /VofPTo/v D/nMq/vn.

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May '19, 1959 Y H. M. voGLl-:YsoNGER l'rAL 2,887,036

BEVERAGE BREWING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 4, 1956 rms-mun.F'

3 INVENTOR. Hanny/7. Vo s1. Es QN GER.

/TTORNEX May 19, 1959 H. M. voGLEsoNGER ETAL 2,887,036

BEVERAGE BREWING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 aus la779 :3f 136 ,3

INVTOR. HAR/R YM l/oGL E50/vara.

HowTo/v Duma/v BY HTTOPNEY.

May 19, 1959 Y H. M. voGL-.EsoNGR rr AL- 2,887,036

BEVERAGE BREWING APPARATUS Filed Jap. 4. 195s v sheets-sheet e IN V ENTOR.

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May 19, 1959 H.A M. voGLEsONGER ETAL 2,887,036

BEVERAGE BREWING APPARATUSr Filed Jan. 4, 1956 f{Sheets-Sheet 7 FEL?.1Q.'

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MERRY/7. Vom SONGER. n BY /VmTa/v DIH/WN HTTORNEY United States Patent OBEVERAGE BREWDG APPARATUS Harry M. Voglesonger, Riverton, and MortonDiamond, West Hartford, Conn., assignors to The Silex Company, Hartford,Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application January 4, 1956, SerialNo. 557,301

2 Claims. (Cl. 99-289) This invention relates to a beverage brewingapparatus and more particularly to a device which will operateautomatically to produce a brew of coffee or other beverage.

An object of the present invention is to provide certain improvements inthe brewing device shown and described in the copending application ofLars Svendsgaard, Serial No. 141,260, tiled January 30, 1950, now PatentNo. 2,730,034, issued on January l0, 1956 which will facilip tate theuse and operation of the device and also render it more eicient in itsoperation and reduce the cost of manufacture. i

A still further object of the present invention is to provide animproved iilter for such brewing apparatus.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more clearlyunderstood from the following description and from the accompanyingdrawings `in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of my improved brewing apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of said apparatus, partly in section. Fig. 3 is asectional side View of the hot Water supply,

i coiee grounds drainage and brew dispensing valves taken Fig. 1-0 is aside view of the spray spreader wheel used in said apparatus.

Fig. l1 is a bottom view of said wheel. Fig. 12 isa sectional view online 12-12 of Fig. '11. Fig. 13 is a front View of the control panel.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged side view of the temperature control thermostatfor the brew tank.

Fig. 15 is a sectional side view of a level control device used in saidbrew tank.

Fig. 16 is an inside view of said level control device.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged plan view of the cofee grounds l filter used inmy improved apparatus.

Fig. 18 isa sectional side view of said filter. Fig. 19 is adiagrammatic view illustrating the electric circuit for automaticallycontrolling the operation of my improved brewing apparatus.

Fig. 20 is a diagram illustrating the sequence of the automaticoperation of my improved device during a brewing cycle.

As shown in the drawings, my improved brewing apparatus includes acasing having a base 5 upon which there is mounted a shell whichincludes side walls 6--6 and a front wall consisting of portions 7, 8and 9. j A top wall is provided by means of an inverted cover plate 10which lits over a band 11 that secures the wall portions of the casetogether.

2,887,035 Patented May 19, 1959 ICC The mechanism of the said apparatusis contained within the said case and includes a water heating tank 12having an electrical heating element 13 therein that is controlled by asuitable thermostat 14 for maintaining the brew water at a predeterminedtemperature during the brewing operation.

The said apparatus also has a brew tank 15, at the upper portion of thecase, which is preferably supported upon the cover plate 10 by means ofan annular bead 16 that surrounds the top edge of the said brew tank andrests upon the cover plate.

At the bottorn of the brew tank there is mounted a valve mechanism forcontrolling the injection of hot brew water, the dispensing of the brewand the disposal of the used coffee grounds. The said valve mechanism ispreferably constructed as shown in the drawings and includes asupporting plate 17 that is secured to the bottom of the brew tank andhas mounted thereon a combination injection and draining valve 18 whichis connected to a discharge opening 19 that is disposed coaxially withthe brew tank 15. The said valve 18 preferably includes an injectionvalve 18-a and a draining valve 18-b which are contained in a casing 20having a flange 21 by means of which it is secured to the bottom of theplate 17. The said case has an extension 22 to which is connected adrainage pipe 23 that extends to a suitable manifold 24 that may beconnected to an appropriate drainage system.

The said valve 18 has an axial disposal passage 25 within which there iscontained the hydraulically operated drain valve which includes an axialstem 26 that is vertically slidable in said case and has mounted at itsupper end a valve head 27 which is adapted to open and close thedischarge opening `19. The said valve stern 26 is prevented fromrotating within the valve casing by means of a` pin 28 which projectsinwardly from the wall of the recess 19 into a slot 29 in a flexibleconnector 20 which allows the head 27 to seat properly incase of amisalignment of the stem 26.

An operating stem 31 is connected to said stem 26 by means of saidconnector 30 and is contained within a lower passage chamber 32. Apiston 33 is connected to the said stem 31 and is slidable within aninverted liquid chamber34 that is connected with the chamber 32 and isclosed by a bottom plug 35. A drain valve closing spring 36 surroundsthe stem 31 and is contained between the piston 33 and a washer 37 whichretains a sealing ring 38 in position to seal the opening between therecess 32 and the discharge opening 19 through which the stem 31extends.

`A hot water supply passage 39 is connected to a hot water supply pipe40 from the heating tank 12 and communicates with the upper portion ofthe liquid chamber 34. A passage 41 is provided through the stems 31 and26 which communicates the said chamber 34 with the interior of the brewtank 15 through a check valve 42 having a ball 43 which normally closesthe passage 41 and is contained within a retaining shell 44 havingapertures inthe wall therein to provide communication between thepassage 41 and the interior of the brew tank when the ball 43 is raisedby the ow of brew water through said check valve.

The supply of hot brew water to the brew tank, through the said valve18, is controlled by means of a solenoid valve 45 which includes asuitable solenoid 46 that operates a valve plunger 47 which controls theflow of the Water from the supply pipe 40 through the passage 39 whichis intersected by a suitable metering valve 48 that is adjustable toregulate the flow of liquid through the said passage 39 when thesolenoid valve 36 is in open position.

The lower portion of the chamber 34 is connected to the cold watersupply pipe 49 and the flow of water under pressure to the said lowerportion of the cylinder is controlled by a suitable solenoid valve 50which includes a solenoid 51 that operates a plunger 52-a, whichintersects the passage 52 between the supply pipe 49 and the lowerportion of the said chamber 34.

The completed brew is emptied from the brew tank through an opening 53at the bottom of the tank in the plate 17, which opening is opened andclosed by a decant solenoid valve 54 that is provided for controllingthe flow of the brew through said opening and preferably also mountedlupon the supporting plate 17'. The said valve 54 includes a valve head55 which overl-ies the said opening 53 and is operated by a valve stern56 that is supported by a flexible diaphragm 57, to permit selfalignmentof the head 55 with the valve seat surrounding the opening 53, and ismoved in a vertical direction by a plunger 58 which is operated by asolenoid 59. 1n the construction shown, the said valve 54 is preferablysecured to the plate 17 by means of a flange 60 and screws 61-61 whichextend through said flange and are threaded to the plate 17. rPhesolenoid 59 is mounted to the said valve housing by means of a connector62 that is threaded to the housing and clamps the diaphragm 57 inposition therein. A spring 63 is provided for urging the valve stem 56downwardly to normally force the valve head 55 into closed position.

The -said decant valve has connected thereto a spout 64 which extendsdownwardly through the portion 8 of the casing and is adapted todispense the brew from the brew tank 15 into a suitable dispensingreceptable 65, such as indicated in dotted lines, which may be placed inthe supporting tray 66 that has drain openings 67 in the bottom thereofwhich are connected with the main drain pipe 24 through a drain pipe 68so as to drain the said tray of any brew that may drip from the spout 64when the serving container is removed.

The level to which the brew tank is filled with the hot brew water isdetermined by means of a suitable probe 69 that includes an electrode 70which is extended through the wall of the brew tank and is located at apredetermined height to control the level to which the brew tank is tobe filled with the hot water. The said electrode is insulated from thebrew tank by suitable insulating washers 71 and 72 and has `a threadedpost 73 to which an electrical connector 74 may be attached by means ofa clamping nut 75. A pipe 23-a is connected to the brew tank at a planeslightly higher than the said probe to conduct any overiiow to the drainpipe 23.

The water in said brew tank is maintained at a desired temperature bymeans of an auxiliary heating element 76 which comprises an electricalresistance 77 that is clamped to the exterior of the brew tank 15 by anannular band 78 and is controlled to maintain the hot brew water at apredetermined temperature by means of a suitable thermostat 79, the saidthermostat preferably consisting of a post 80 upon which are mounted apair of normally closed contacts 81 and 82 that are opened by athermally responsive bar 83 upon the Water in the brew tank reaching thepredetermined temperature for which the said thermostat is pre-adjustedby means of a set screw 84.

A coffee grounds container and ltering device is provided within thebrew tank 15 to contain the coifee grounds and filter them from the brewas the brew is emptied from the brew tank through the spout 64 upon theopening of the valve 54. The said filtering device preferably consistsof a cloth filter bag 85 that is mounted upon a suitable wire frame 86which consists of a lower ring S7 having upright suporting members 88secured to and extending upwardly therefrom and an upper supportingVring 89. The filter bag 85 is mounted over the said frame and supportedin its conical form by means of said wire frame to which it is securedby suitable means, such as a drawstring 90. The said iilter bag is alsoprovided with a iiexible valve in the side thereof which consists of `anopening 91 in said member and a closure ilap 92 that is also constructedof cloth and sewn to the bag at 93 so that it lwill normally lie inposition to close the opening 91 by gravity and thereby prevent coieegrounds from passing outwardly through the opening 91 but allow rinsewater to pass through said opening into the filter for speeding thedraining of the brew tank following a rinsing operation.

The filtering device fits within the brew tank with its upper annularedge disposed adjacent the inner walls of the tank and a funnel ring 94is placed over the top of the said filtering device and has an upperoutwardly extending flange 95, which lies upon the bead 16 of the brewtank, and a lower ange 96 which extends downwardly and inwardly into theltering device to funnel coiee grounds into it and prevent them frompassing between the ltering member and the wall of the brew tank intothe brew water exteriorly of the ltering device. The frame d6 is alsoprovided with breaker wires 97--97 that are mounted upon the uprightsupporting members 88 and extend across the interior of the filter bagto submerge and break up the coffee grounds as the brew water riseswithin the brew tank and bag. The ring member 87 is formed of sheetmetal and is provided with an annular flange 98 to which the lowerperipheral edge 99 of the iilter member is anchored by means of a wirering 100. The sides of the said ring 87 are tapered downwardly andinwardly so as to fit the tapered walls 101 of the recess 102 at thebottom of the brew tank 15.

The top of the brew tank 15 is closed by means of a cover 103 whichincludes an outer supporting member 104 that is hinged at 105 and 106and carries a bottom plate 107 to which is attached an inverteddish-shaped member 108 having a downwardly projecting annular ange 109around which is mounted a resilient sealing gasket 110 that is adaptedto engage the ilange 95 of the funnel ring 94 for closing the said brewtank.

The said cover carries, upon the bottom thereof, a spraying device whichincludes a spray head 111 that is attached to a nipple 112 that extendsthrough the bottom plate 107. The said spray head has a cavity 113therein and a series of spray jets 114 which extend from said cavitythrough the bottom wall of the head. A spray spreader in the form of awheel 115 is rotatably mounted upon the bottom of said head, by means ofa stud 116, and said wheel has a plurality of radial blades 117 withangular sides 118 which cause the wheel to be rotated by the force ofthe water discharged downwardly through the jets 114.

The said sprayer device is connected with the cold water pipe 49 throughan extension 119 and the ow of the water through said spray device iscontrolled by a suitable solenoid valve 120.

As shown in Fig. 7, the water connection from the spray device to thecold water pipe is made through the hinge 105 which includes asupporting member 121 that is mounted upon the top plate 10 and has anextension 122 which extends downwardly through said plate and a verticalpassage 123 that communicates with a horizontal recess 124 in saidsupporting member. The supply pipe 119 is connected to the saidextension to communicate with the vertical recess and a separate pipesection 125 is connected to the nipple 112 of the spray device and to aconnector 126 which extends into the horizontal recess 124 and has asealing ring 127 to prevent leakage past the said connector which isrotatably retained in the recess 124 by means of a bracket 128 that issecured to the lower plate 107.

The hinge 106, at the opposite side of the cover 103, is in axialalignment with the connector 126 and includes a stationary supportingbracket 129, that is also mounted upon the top plate 10, and a movableconnecting bracket which is secured to the plate 107 and hingedlyconnected to the bracket 129 by means of a hinge stud 131. The saidbracket 129 has a stop projection 132 which is engaged by the movablebracket 130 to retain the cover 103 in its open position.

A control panel 133 is preferably mounted inwardly of the cover portion7 of the case so that the instruments on the control panel may berendered readily accessible by merely removing the said cover portion.Said instruments include a plurality of switches, relays and otherdevices which are connected in an electrical circuit, as shown in Fig.20, for causing the automatic operation of the brewing device and thesaid switches and relays are `preferably controlled by a conventionalelectric timer of the synchronous type which is contained within a ycase134 and is adapted, through a gear train in said case, not shown, torotate a timer shaft 135 having thereon a plurality of cam disks, 136,137, 138, 139 and 140 which are adapted to operate a series of electricswitches, respectively, 141, 142, 143, 144 and 145 that are mounted upona suitable bracket 146 whereby they are positioned adjacent to the saidcam disks.

The said control panel 133 has also mounted thereon a latching bar 147which is hinged upon a stud 148 projecting from the rear of the saidpanel and extends upwardly and is adapted to engage a latching pin 149on a keeper 150 that extends downwardly from the cover 103. A solenoid151 is also mounted upon the rear of the control panel and is connectedto the latching bar 147 by means of a link 152 that is pivotally securedto the latching bar by a stud 153. A spring 154 is anchored to thecontrol panel 133 and is secured to the said latching bar to bias ittowards latching position.

The electric circuit for controlling the automatic operation of myimproved brewing device is clearly illustrated in Fig. 19 as beingconnected to a conventional three wire power supply indicated at 155 andall the switches in said circuit are shown in their normal positions.

Assuming that the main switch 156 is closed, the sequential mode ofoperation of my improved brewing device is as follows:

Energization of the heating element 13 will be controlled by the relayswitch 157 which is operated by the thermostat 14 to maintain the waterin the tank 12 at a desired temperature.

When it is desired to produce a brew of colee in said brewing device, apre-measured amount of coffee is first poured into the lter bag 85 andthe brewing operation may be initiated by simply tirst closing thestarter switch 158 and then closing the cover 103'. Closing of the saidstarter switch will cause energization of the relay coil 159 so that therelay 160 will be actuated to close the switch 161 and move the switch162 to its down position. The starter switch 158 may now be released andallowed to open and the switch 141 will retain the coil 159 energizedwhile said switch is in its normal position. Ille cover 103 must now beclosed manually and this will close the switches 163 and 164 andenergize the timer motor 134, through the switches 161 and 164, to causetimed rotation of the cam disks 136 to 140 for operating the switches141 to 145.

The cam disk 136 will next move the switch 141 to its down positionwherein it will close the circuit direct- 1y to the motor 34,de-energize the relay coil 159 and allow the switches 161 and 162 toreturn to their normal positions. The motor will then be kept energizedby the switch 141 which will remain in its down position throughout theremainder of the cycle for the brewing operation that has now beeninitiated. Energization of the motor will also cause energization of thegreen light 165 to indicate that the said motor is in operation.

For the next step of the brewing cycle, the disk 137 will close theswitch 142 and energize the solenoid injection valve 18-a to therebycause the injection of hot water from the tank 12 into the brewingchamber. The said hot water will then pass through the pipe 40 into thechamber 34 and, from there, through the passage 41 in the stems 26 and31 and through the ball valve 42 into the brewing tank 15, wherein thesaid Water will enter through the open `bottom of the filter bag andbecome infused with the coffee grounds therein.

Simultaneously with the energization of the injection valve 18-a, thebrew heater 77 will also become ener-` gized and the said heater will becontrolled by the thermostat 29 to maintain the brew tank at apredetermined temperature.

The injection of hot water into the brew tank will continue until thewater reaches the level of the probe 69; whereupon the water will bridgebetween the wall of the tank 15 and the electrode 17 and, through thetransformer 166, energize the relay 167 and open the switch 16S; therebycle-energizing the injection solenoid 18-a, so that it will close, andterminating the iujection of hot water into the brew tank.

In the next steps of the brewing cycle, the switch 142 will be opened tothereby de-energize and close the injection valve 1841 and the switch143 will be closed by the disk 138 to energize and open the solenoiddecant valve 54 for emptying the completed brew from the brew tank intothe dispensing receptacle 65.

After the decant valve 54 has remained open for a predetermined Aperiodof time suicient to permit emptying of the completed brew from the brewtank, the switch 143 will open to close the decant .valve S4 and theswitch 144 will close to open the drain valve 18-b which will then beheld open for th-e remaining portion of the brewing cycle. After thesaid drain valve has opened, the switch 145 will be closed by the camdisk 140 to open the solenoid rinse valve 120` and cause cold water toflow through the sprayer head 111. This water will be directeddownwardly into the drain opening 19, by the jet opening 116-a, and alsodispersed downwardly and against the walls of the brew tankv and intothe filter bag 85, by the spray wheel 115, so as to rinse the tank andstir the grounds in `said bag to cause them to be carried with the rinsewater through the drain valve 18-b into the drain pipe 23. After apredetermined period of time, the said rinse valve will be closed andthe valve 18-b will remain open to complete the draining operation. Theswitch 144 will then be opened, to close the drain valve 18-b. Shortlyafter that, the switch 141 will be returned to its normal position, asshown in Fig. 19, and this will cause de-energization of the motor 134and also of the relay coil 159 which will release the switches 160 and161 into their normal position, as also shown in Fig. 19, whereupon theswitch 161 will energize the solenoid 168 to operate the latch 147 andrelease the cover 103. The said cover will then open, under the pressureof the rubber gasket 110, and cause opening of the switches 162 and 163,whereupon the solenoid coil 151 and the motor 134 will becomede-energized and the brewing cycle is thereby completed.

It will be noted that the red light 169 will remain energized throughoutthe time period that the injection of hot water into the brew tank istaking place through the solenoid valve 18-a; the said light beingcontrolled by the switch 142 simultaneously with the opening and closingof the injection valve 184.

It will be noted that the red light 169 is controlled by the switch 142simultaneously with the opening and closing of the injection valve .1S-aso that the said light will remain energized throughout the time periodthat hot water is being injected into the brew tank.

I claim:

l. In a beverage brewing apparatus, a brewing chamber, a hydraulicallyoperated valve including a casing having a disposal passage therein anda liquid chamber below said passage, a valve head for controlling the owof liquid from said brewing chamber into said disposal passage, a stemextending downwardly from said head through said disposal passage, thesaid casing having an opening into said liquid chamber, the said stembeing divided and having an operating portion extending through saidopening and a flexible portion between said operating portion and saidvalve head for providing self-adjustment of said valve head into closingposition, a piston connected to the lower end of the stem and slidablein said liquid chamber, a liquid supply passage in said valve stem andhead communicating said liquid chamber with said brewing chamber, andmeans for supplying iiquid to said liquid chamber.

2. In a beverage brewing apparatus, the combination of a source of brewwater, a brewing chamber having a brew discharge port :and a usedgrounds disposal opening at its bottom, a filter contained in saidchamber between said port and opening, means for opening and closingsaid brew discharge port, `a valve head for opening and closing the saidgrounds disposal opening, a stem for operating said head, a passage insaid stem extending through the head, the said passage being connectedto the said source of brew water, means for controlling the quantity ofbrew water injected into the said brewing chamber through said passage,separate means for controlling the operation of said Valve head foropening and closing said used grounds disposal open- References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 461,372 Smith Oct. 13, 18918 Bargallo Sept. 12, Piaseczny Nov. 14, Grover May 4, Kingsbury Iuly 20,McAllen Aug. 26, McAllen May 1, Clinton Apr. 16, Fromwiller Oct. 5,Fromwiller July 12, Kime Jan. 10, Greuttner Sept. 15, Berry Aug. 14,Baak Feb. 12, Evensen A-ug. 24, Stuart Dec. 12, Locke Oct. 2, Clark Nov.20, Burgess Mar. 18, Burgess Mar. 18, Mahoney Nov. 15, Crate Dec. 23,Fogler et al Feb. 24, Cone Apr. 14, Karlen May 19, Clemens June 16,Svendsgaard Jan. 10, Stentz et al. Feb. 14, Pavlecka Oct. 29, RichesonMar. 25,

